My Russian Horse-Archer Blues

[IceWolf]

Having tryed the longbow civ (England), the infantry civ (Denmark), I thought I'd see how HAs perform in MTW and it's not good. I'm trying to recruit and fight the way I did with the RTW HA civs with the Russians and I'm not getting anywhere with them. In RTW HAs could whitttle away anything except Praetorians and here they're not effevtive against anything other than mudsill level militiamen. Take away the HAs effectiveness from Rusiia and what do you have left? Horrible infantry, underperforming heavy cav and horrible foot archers. Oh yes, and all their cities are like 2000 miles apart from one another. Anyone else experience my pain with Russia. This isnt any fun at all.

[Zim]

What kind of HAs are you using? Still in the Kazak phase?

I haven't found HAs as a whole to be wrose in MTW2 than in RTW but maybe that's because I only play RTW mods. The balance could be quite different from vanilla.

[Galain_Ironhide]

If used improperly, yes HA units are next to worthless.

Not real familiar with the Russian HA units, however take a look at this in-depth HA guide made by Doug-Thompson -

Hunters All Their Lives: A Missile Cavalry Guide

It outlines everything from unit details through to tactics for every faction. Quite a long read but very useful in learning the basics with your HA.

[Zim]

Russians spend much of the early game (especially if they stay near their home territory where settlements aren't so well developed) with only Kazakhs. Very weak horsearchers, but they get the job done, especially if fire is concentrated into the rear or right, shieldless flank of the enemy.

Later on Cossacks are great light horsearchers, while Dvor are great heavy ones (with ap axes as a secondary, I believe).

Doug's guide is great.

If used improperly, yes HA units are next to worthless.

Not real familiar with the Russian HA units, however take a look at this in-depth HA guide made by Doug-Thompson -

[IceWolf]

I'm still using the Kazaks. In RTW vanilla, facing wasn't that important. I'll try parking my Druz and Boyars sons in front of the enemy like scarecrows and taking the HAs arouind the flanks and rear, maybe that'll help. thanks

edit-I'll check out the guide too, he used to be known as "Mongol Doug" back in the AOK days. It's interesting to see that he made his way over here

[MasterPhantom]

If used improperly, yes HA units are next to worthless.

Of course, like if you try using them against musket units. I believe they will get massarce after an few volleys, am I right?

[Prussian to the Iron]

at the start, you should just be fighting disorganized rebels, so you dont need a solid army. later on however, once oyu unlock the top-tier units, you can contend with just about anything short of retinue longbowmen and armoured swordsmen. can anyone say berdiche axemen and dismounted boyar sons?

plus they get the best vanilla gunpowder unit: cossack musketeers.

[kostiakot]

i'm russian :-)
very nice game